The present invention relates generally to a reproducing device for a magnetic tape, and more particularly to a music searching device for searching for a desired piece of music recorded on the magnetic tape while reproducing the same after rewinding the tape.
FIGS. 1A through 1C illustrate a procedure used by a conventional music searching device. In FIG. 1A, waveforms illustrated therein indicate a recorded condition on a magnetic tape whereon there are recorded a first music portion 1, a second music portion 2, a third music portion 3, and a fourth music portion 4. A non-recorded portion a is provided ahead of the first music portion 1 which will be referred to as a first inter-music portion. A second inter-music portion b is formed between the first and second music portions 1 and 2. A third inter-music portion c is formed between the second and third music portions 2 and 3, and a fourth inter-music portion d is formed between the third and fourth music portions 3 and 4. FIGS. 1B and 1C are time charts describing the running condition of the magnetic tape at the time of reproduction.
Referring to FIGS. 1A through 1C, the music searching method will be described. As indicated in FIG. 1B, if in the middle of reproducing the third music portion 3, the music search is carried out without designating a number of the music portions, the tape is rewound to the start position of the third music portion 3. Upon detection of the third inter-music portion c formed ahead of the third music portion 3, reproduction of the third music portion 3 is again performed. It should be noted that the searching operation is performed in a manner described above if the number of the music portions is not designated, and this operation is equivalent to the designation of zero (0) for the number of music portions.
As shown in FIG. 1C, the music search is performed by designating three (3) as the number of music portions so as to select the first music portion 1 in this case during reproduction of the fourth music portion 4. The tape will then be rewound past three music portions and to the start position of the first music portion 1. Upon detection of the first inter-music portion a, reproduction is started from the start position of the first music portion 1.
In the above-described conventional searching method, when the searching operation is performed without designating the number of music portions, the reproduction is only performed from the beginning of the music currently being reproduced. Accordingly, if the music being again played back is not the desired one, this operation would not be adequate. In order to playback a music portion prior to the currently reproduced music portion, it is necessary to randomly designate a certain number of music portions. In this case, the searching operation is complicated because the searching operation is initiated only after designating a certain number of music portions. Accordingly, in the case where the location of the desired music is unknown, it is necessary to randomly select a number of music portions and to search the desired music by consecutively reproducing several music portions. In this case, it is disadvantageous in that a search for the desired music cannot be quickly carried out.